Spell it out

Nat is setting our challenge at Daring Cardmakers this week — she'd like to see us use alphabet dies or stamps to spell out a sentiment.

I made this to congratulate my nephew on his GCSE results, using an old alphabet stamp set in a font style that contrasted nicely with the big numbers. The little fill-in numbers tie in with his mathematical interests.  

I masked the strip for the sentiment with a piece of low tack tape, stamped numbers to reflect the grades he achieved, added some background stamping and brushed on a bit of ink before removing the tape and stamping the sentiment. I added just a tiny bit of shading to the lettering with a Copic and defined the edge of the strip with a doodled line.

Stamps:
Journal Letters (Hero Arts)
A&P Numbers (Ma Vinci's Reliquary, no longer with us)
Numbers (Katzelkraft)

Paper:

Bristol board

Ink:
Tim Holtz Distress ink by Ranger (Peacock Feathers, Salty Ocean, Blueprint Sketch)
Brilliance by Tsukineko (Graphite Black)

Other:
Fineliner
Copic marker

Fun and Games

It’s my turn to set the challenge at Daring Cardmakers this week and I'd like to challenge you to a game — indoor games, outdoor games, whatever sort of game you like!

I chose chess and used another of the Katzelkraft bargains I scored a while ago. I picked this set because hubby and eldest grandson sometimes play chess when they get together — the tables have turned and grandad’s experience doesn’t always mean he wins these days! 

This needed to go airmail so my preferred one-layer aesthetic was perfect, a bit of masking to place the pieces on the board and protect them from the inks (smooshed on with acetate), a doodled border and a few glossy dots keep it all light and flat. 

Stamps:
King’s Gambit (Katzelkraft)
Essential Messages (Hero Arts, retired)

Paper:
Bristol board

Ink:
Shadow Ink by Hero Arts (Charcoal and Soft Granite)
Versafine by Tsukineko (Onyx Black)
Tim Holtz Distress and Oxide ink by Ranger (various blues, I lost track)

Other:
Pearl pen by Viva Decor (Anthracite)
Fineliner

Thanks for stopping by. 

Link in the chain - August

It's reveal day again at Card Chain Challenge. Mine has gone to Daja this time.

From the options on offer I chose the colours, the sketch, the theme of fruit and the product option of stencilling.

It’s my usual one layer aesthetic for CCC, simple stamping with a layering stamp set and a bit of masking, a stencilled background and my trademark rounded corner.

Stamps:
Lemon Blossom (The Greetery)

Paper:
Bristol board

Ink:
Tim Holtz Distress ink by Ranger (Bundled Sage, Mowed Lawn, Spiced Marmalade)
Adirondack dye ink by Ranger (Sunset Orange)
Brilliance by Tsukineko (Pearlescent Chocolate)

Other:
Strobes stencil (Visible Image)
Corner Chomper 

Thanks for stopping by! There are still a few days to sign up for the next Chain, all the details are here. 

All taped up

I'm setting this week's challenge at Daring Cardmakers — I’d like to see tape used somewhere in the creation of your project.

I used the Magical Masking Tape technique to introduce some subtle variation in my background — I think the camera has picked it up enough to see. I did red, orange and two yellows striping up the card and then lightly brushed on some of the yellow all over (mostly to disguise inky fingerprints!). 

I was aiming for “summer sunset”, given the current situation in many northern hemisphere countries I hope it’s not too “wildfire”! The current challenge at Lost Coast Designs is Summertime so I’m linking up there, too.  

Stamps:
Shrubbery medium (Lost Coast Designs)
Essential Messages (Hero Arts, retired)

Paper:
Bristol board

Ink:
Versafine by Tsukineko (Onyx Black)
Tim Holtz Distress ink by Ranger (Barn Door, Spiced Marmalade, Mustard Seed)
Jenni Bowlin ink by Ranger (Lemon Drop)

Other:
Nail art gems
Fineliner
Corner Chomper

Elements for August

It's my turn to set the challenge at Daring Cardmakers this week. As it’s the first Friday of the month, that means an “elemental” challenge — just choose at least three things from the inspiration picture to kick start your project  

I thought it might be fun to revisit the first ever August Elements picture. It turned out to be a very eclectic mix of stuff with lots of scope.

I chose the deer head, woodgrain, white text on black and a little pop of green and red and made a Christmas card. I die cut all the parts for the deer from white card, coloured most with Distress ink and just the antlers and inside the ears with Copics (also used for foliage and berries). I used a pearl pen for his eyes to give them a bit of sheen and put some Glossy Accents on the berries for the same reason  

Stamps:
Merriest Christmas Wishes (Hero Arts, retired)

Paper:
Bristol board
Black

Ink:
Tim Holtz Distress ink by Ranger (Antique Linen, Tea Dye, Vintage Photo)
Brilliance by Tsukineko (Graphite Black)

Other:
Cool Yule dies (Tim Holtz/Sizzix)
Festive Greenery strip die (Tim Holtz/Sizzix)
Pinewood Planks embossing folder (Stampin Up!)
Copic markers 
Glossy Accents
Pearl pen by Viva Decor (Anthracite)
Bright white detail embossing powder by Wow!

Link in the chain — July

Another month gone so once again we’re round to reveal day for the Card Chain Challenge. Mine went to Brenda this time.

From the options on offer I chose the themes of fish and circles. This is not the card I set out to make but all my crafting mojo seems to have left the building so I just had to go with whatever happened. 

Background is smooshed Distress inks with the weed and bubbles stamped with Distress Oxide over the top. I used a pen cap to stamp some slightly larger “bubbles” as well. Some are filled in with white pen and have Stickles for sparkle. Extra sparkle comes from some silver thread looped behind the fish which is left uncoloured to contrast with the background and has some scrap card behind it to raise it just slightly.

Stamps:
Under the Sea (Darkroom Door)
Essential Messages (Hero Arts)

Paper:
Bristol Board

Ink:
Tim Holtz Distress ink by Ranger (various blues)
Tim Holtz Distress Oxide ink by Ranger (Blueprint Sketch, Twisted Citron)
Versafine by Tsukineko (Onyx Black)

Other:
Silver thread
Stickles (Frosted Lace)
White paint pen by Posca
Corner Chomper

There are still a few days to sign up for the next chain if you fancy it - make one card and send it, receive a lovely handmade card for yourself. Thanks for stopping by!

Link in the chain - June

It’s reveal day once again at Card Chain Challenge, my how the months fly by! I had the pleasure of being the filling in a sandwich of new players this month.

My card has gone to Alice who is not only a new player but, much to Gail’s excitement, ticks off a new country for CCC — Finland. Welcome Alice!

From this month’s options I chose the sketch and the colour palette and stuck with my usual one layer aesthetic for CCC, using another of the bargain Katzelkraft stamps I got a while back. I thought the cat looked like she might be about to spring a surprise so the sentiment seemed an appropriate one to go with the image! 

I used a fineliner to extend the line of the stamped image and make a “curtain” that goes all the way to top and bottom of the card. The circles are inked through apertures in my trusty piece of acetate and have doodled edges and white pen highlights. A bit of Copic colouring, a rounded corner and call it done.

Stamps:
Les Gros Chat 09 (Katzelkraft)
Joy (Carabelle Studio)

Paper:
Bristol board

Ink:
Brilliance by Tsukineko (Graphite Black)
Adirondack dye ink by Ranger (Cranberry)
Memento Luxe by Tsukineko (Rosebud)

Other:
Copic markers
Black fineliner
White paint pen by Posca
Corner Chomper

There are still a few days to sign up for the next chain if you fancy it — just make and send one card, get a lovely handmade card just for you, spread some crafty love around the globe!

What's the (typewritten) word?

I’m mixing fonts and challenges today! Nat wants to see typewriters or typewriter font for this week’s Daring Cardmakers challenge and the current Hero Arts challenge wants the focus on sentiments.

My typewriter font is taking a bit of a supporting role but it is there! I know Father’s Day was a couple of weeks back but I was holding off on blogging this until this week’s DCM went live!

I used several shades of blue ink and repeatedly stamped the word to make a background and then used the matching die to cut one that got coated in Glossy Accents and tucked in around a little label with the rest of the sentiment. 

Stamps:
Happy Stamp n Cut (Hero Arts)

Paper:
Bristol board

Ink:
Tim Holtz Distress ink by Ranger (I lost track!)

Other:
Glossy Accents
Stitched rectangles dies A6 size (Paper Rose)
Corner Chomper

Make it masculine

Dawn is setting our challenge at Daring Cardmakers this week and she’d like to see some more masculine makes.

The Tim Holtz lumber folder makes a good base for a masculine card, I think. I cut an extra “plank” to extend it for the proportions of the card. As there’s a join between each plank in any case, it’s not too difficult to make it look fairly seamless.

I rubbed a Neocolour water soluble crayon over the embossing (keeping it on the folder so it has support underneath is a good idea) and then smudged with a damp finger. 

Simple white die cut foliage tied with a tomato paste dot and a scripty sentiment finish it off. 

Supplies:
Tim Holtz/Sizzix embossing folder (Lumber)
Tim Holtz/Sizzix Wildflower dies
Poppystamps die (Happy Birthday Poe Script)
Neocolour crayons
Bristol board
Kraft card
Brown fineliner
Tomato past tube

Everything’s coming up roses

It’s my turn to set the challenge over at Daring Cardmakers this week. As one of June’s birth flowers is the rose I thought we’d go that way but with an option of using yellow (with a rose image or with any other image/technique) as yellow roses represent friendship. 

I went for vivid yellow roses against a green backdrop. The flowers are stamped with some masking and coloured with pencils. A bit of inky stencilling for the background, a bold sentiment and a few nail art gems to finish. I haven’t made a square card in ages, it was nice to use different proportions for a change.

Stamps:
Jumbo Rose (Stampendous)
Say It Loud (Waltzingmouse Stamps, no longer with us)
Essential Messages (Hero Arts, retired)

Paper:
Bristol board

Ink:
Versafine by Tsukineko (Onyx Black)
Tim Holtz Distress ink by Ranger (Mowed Lawn)

Other:
Black fine liner
Coloured pencils
Corner Chomper
Nail art gems